The use of non-igniting spark generating mechanisms is generally known. One such spark generating mechanism is used on a wheeled toy vehicle which includes a vehicle body having a fly-wheel mounted about a fly-wheel axle proximate to an end of the body. A pinion gear is rotatably mounted about the fly-wheel axle and is operatively connected to the fly-wheel such that rotation of the pinion gear rotates the fly-wheel. A flint holding member is mounted about a flint holding member axle which is supported within the body. A small spring is attached at one end to one end of the flint holding member and attached at its other end to the body of the vehicle. A flint is attached to the other end of the flint holding member. The spring biases the flint holding member such that the flint contacts one side of the fly-wheel. An iron based material is adhered to the side of the fly-wheel in contact with the flint, such that upon rotation of the fly-wheel sparks are ignited as a result of the friction generated between the flint and the iron based material on the side of the fly-wheel.
Another prior art spark generating mechanism includes a support bracket attached to the rear wheel assembly of a conventional roller skate. At the rear end of the support bracket, an axle carrying a grindstone wheel between two actuating wheels is mounted for rotation. The support bracket holds a flint in resilient contact with the grindstone wheel. The entire spark generating mechanism does not operate during normal skating. However, when the skater tilts the skate in a rearward direction, the actuating wheels are brought into contact with the surface on which the skater is moving causing the actuating wheels and therefore the axle and grindstone wheels to rotate in unison with the skate wheels. The sparks are generated from the frictional engagement and rubbing of the grindstone continuously rotating against the flint element until the skater lifts the actuating wheels out of contact with the surface.
Push-down actuating toy vehicles are also generally known. One prior art push-down toy vehicle is actuated by providing vertical motion between the wheels and the axles as one part, and a vehicle body as another part. A spring is provided to normally keep the vehicle body elevated with respect to the wheel axle. When a user manually grasps the toy vehicle to move it along the play surface, the user presses the vehicle downwardly, overcoming the bias of the spring. The downward movement is utilized to actuate different components of the toy vehicle.
In contrast, the concept of the combination of a spark generating mechanism with a push-down toy vehicle, and the combination of a vertical displacement of the vehicle body with respect to a play surface and with motion of the vehicle across the play surface to produce sparks, have not previously been disclosed. The present invention applies these novel concepts by providing a sparking toy vehicle including a spark generating mechanism mounted on a vehicle body which is supported by wheels rotatably mounted on the vehicle body, such that when the vehicle is simultaneously moved across the play surface and pressed downwardly toward the play surface, the spark generating mechanism produces a display of sparks. Additionally, the sparking toy vehicle of the present invention is simple in construction and operation and thus provides for extended play time of the vehicle and a long and useful life of the same.